CHULA VISTA  A young mother whose minivan plunged into the Otay Reservoir over the weekend, resulting in the deaths of her 5-year-old daughter and another 5-year-old girl, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony child abuse and drunken driving causing injury.

Arlene Hernandez, 22, faces up to 13 years in prison if convicted. The judge decided at the Chula Vista Superior Court hearing to keep her bail at $400,000.

Hernandez’s daughter, Lesette Silva of Chula Vista, and Guiliana Figueroa of La Mesa died in the emergency room following Sunday’s crash.

Guiliana’s father, Eric Figueroa of Chula Vista, was in the front passenger seat.

The foursome was heading east on Otay Lakes Road near Wueste Road when Hernandez lost control of the Kia Sedona and drove down an embankment, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The van overturned and landed on its roof in the water.

Hernandez and Figueroa were able to escape, but the girls were trapped in the back seat. The kids were wearing seat belts, officials said.

U.S. Border Patrol agents and civilians extricated the girls from the submerged van.

Authorities declined to discuss what led up to the crash and said the relationship between Hernandez and Figueroa was not clear.

Deputy District Attorney Mary Loeb said investigators are waiting for the results of the blood-alcohol test.

Hernandez cried throughout the brief court hearing as about a dozen family members looked on. Several others were not allowed in the packed courtroom. They declined to speak afterward to reporters.

“Ms. Hernandez is very distraught about what happened,” her attorney, Jonathan Jordan, said in front of the courthouse after the hearing. “At this point it is very traumatic experience, not only for her but a lot of other people involved. ... Allow them to grieve and mourn their children, then we’ll see how this case is going to shake out.”

Guiliana’s mother also attended the hearing. She also did not speak to reporters.

Guiliana, who went by the nickname “Juju,” had recently graduated from preschool, while Lesette had just entered first grade at Parkview Elementary School in Chula Vista.

Separate funds have been set up to raise money for funerals for Guiliana and Lesette. A fundraising carwash for Guiliana will also be held Friday at Karina’s Mexican Seafood, 1705 Highland Ave., in National City, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

A candlelight vigil was held for Guiliana Tuesday night, and her father was able to attend, said family friend Gabriel Lucero.

He said the family is being careful not to judge Hernandez and offered their family sincere condolences.

“We don’t want to get into the position where we have that hate. For us, it’s more of a remembrance of Juju and we want to keep it that way,” Lucero said.